Night of Heroes

It was a night of heroes big and small! For one night only, Football Hall of Famer and legendary Miami Dolphin Coach Don Shula helped to celebrate volunteerism and community spirit as the Van Duzer Foundation hosted its own “Night of Heroes” Saturday, December 4th at the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Van Duzer Foundation, which helps individuals and families in St. Lucie County who are struggling and in crisis because of tragic and unforeseen events. Since its inception in 2008, the Van Duzer Foundation has raised and donated over $235,000 to families in crisis, raised over 35,000 pounds of food, and helped Florida’s Blood Centers collect more than 3,000 pints of lifesaving blood.

Known for its unique events, the Foundation has also broken two world records, closed down entire streets in an attempt to create a line of pizza that circled a city block, and helped to inspire hundreds of volunteers to share their time, talent, and treasure with the community. To honor the exceptional volunteers who have donated their time, the Foundation hosted a dinner at PGA Learning Center, where ten local businesses were recognized for their extraordinary efforts to promote blood donations in November 3rd’s Van Duzer Foundation BE A HERO DAY, an event which collected 1,087 pints of blood in a single day’s time and motivated 20 other counties around Florida to attempt to do the same. Twenty eight local businesses participated in this year’s Blood Bowl event. Legendary Coach Don Shula presented Executive Director Norm Penner and Program Director Brenda Stokes from the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County with the coveted Blood Bowl Cup, which will be displayed prominently until next year’s BE A HERO DAY.

Sponsored by PNC Bank, Lawnwood Regional Medical Center and Heart Institute, St. Lucie Medical Center, and Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, the dinner and awards ceremony also featured a reunion of many of the 26 families and individuals assisted by the Van Duzer Foundation during the past two years, as well as the recognition of the Foundation’s amazing volunteers. To learn more about the Van Duzer Foundation’s mission and work, please call Scott Van Duzer at (772) 528-3467.